A Map Is Born
by Destiny Bunny
Summary: In which a map is born, and mischief is managed.


**A Map Is Born  
  
**Written for the Winter 2003 wave of the Remus/James Fuh Q Fest  
  
Challenge # 9: _James and Remus are the only Gryffindor boys at Hogwarts over the Christmas holidays_

Challenge # 56: _Remus and James share an evening working on the map- and other things._

It was Christmas Eve. Many of the younger students had already gone to bed, eager to wake up to a Hogwarts Christmas. Some of the older students were in groups playing wizard's chess and talking quietly. In a darkened corner of the common room, Remus Lupin and James Potter were sitting with their heads bent over a scrap of parchment, staring at it intently.  
  
"I'm not sure this is a good idea," Remus was saying, a slight frown marring his features, "if we got caught-"  
  
"Well we'll just have to make sure we don't get caught, won't we?" James interrupted confidently, showing the golden haired boy his trademark 'Potter Grin'. "Besides, we've learnt so much about the castle; it would be a shame to put it to waste. And it could be useful some day."  
  
Remus rolled his eyes dramatically. He didn't know why he bothered objecting. He always ended up giving in anyway. Indecision flickered across his face for a few seconds before he sighed and pushed his chair back.  
  
"Well, we'd better go upstairs then." At James' crude leer her elaborated: "If we're going to do this, we might as well do it properly, and I'd really rather not have the whole house watching while we break the law. Besides, there's an advanced charms book I need and it's in my trunk.

* * *

Soon enough, the two boys were sitting cross-legged on the floor of their dorm with a fresh piece of parchment between them. An extremely large book on charms was lying open beside Remus, who was twirling his wand in his hand lazily as he read. (Not that one, you perverts!)  
  
"Ah, here it is," he said finally. He put the book to one side and stood up.  
  
"Huh?" James questioned somewhat less than elegantly as he watched Remus cross the room. His barely spoken question was answered when Remus came back holding a bottle of ink and a quill.  
  
"We have to make a key for the map," he explained, sitting back down and opening the ink bottle. "I don't know why you got me to do this," he remarked as he set about marking lines, dashes and dots on the parchment and poking them with his wand to set the colour.  
  
"Well, everyone knows you're the brains of the outfit, Moony," James replied in what he obviously thought was an incredibly charming voice. Remus spared a moment to scowl slightly at the page before answering.  
  
"Well this isn't exactly that difficult. And don't start that 'not for someone who's read practically the whole library' thing. You read plenty when you were becoming animagi," the golden haired boy remonstrated. "Besides," he continued in a slightly injured tone, "I would have thought you and Siri would just 'borrow' my book, so to speak." Remus was still working on the parchment in front of him and so missed the guilt and confusion fighting for dominance over his boyfriend's face.  
  
"I wanted to do it with you," James replied softly. Remus quietly mumbled some indistinct Latin before replying. "I- I didn't mean" he stammered out guiltily before he was cut off by a hand on his arm.  
  
"I know," James soothed before his usual buoyancy returned. "So, how's it coming?"  
  
"Well," Remus explained, "we need a phrase to wipe it, so that it looks like an ordinary sheet of parchment."  
  
"I see," James replied thoughtfully. "It should be something short, in case we need to use it in a hurry." He looked straight into Remus' eyes at this point. "And memorable," he murmured, leaning slightly closer, "definitely memorable. How about-" he broke off, launching himself across the space between them to kiss Remus passionately.  
  
When the need for oxygen finally forced them apart, Remus sat back, gazing at his boyfriend reproachfully, although the effect was slightly ruined by the unveiled passion in his eyes.  
  
"Mischief managed," James breathed out triumphantly. 


End file.
